Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

September 15, 2018 Tastes of Lizzy T is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any highlighted, clickable Amazon link you see is an affiliate link that we may earn advertising fees on.

Thick, soft, buttermilk sugar cookies are the best cutout cookies. Similar to Lofthouse cookies, these are perfect with a dollop of buttercream frosting. If you love sugar cookies, see all of our recipes here.

Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

Our first Christmas cookie recipe of the season. And cutout Christmas cookies at that.

*Squee!*

If you love Lofthouse-style sugar cookies, you’ll love these soft, fluffy, buttermilk sugar cookies. I’m not saying they are officially a “copycat” recipe since it has been a few years since I’ve even had a Lofthouse sugar cookie. They used to be my favorite. But when you’re pumpin’ cookies, cakes and breads out of your kitchen weekly, you have to say no to something.

Lofthouse Cookie Recipe

This is a recipe that I tore out of an old church newsletter over 10 years ago. I’ve made these buttermilk sugar cookies over and over again because they are so simple and I can always guarantee they’ll turn out beautifully.

You do have to plan ahead when working with this sugar cookie dough. The dough needs to sit in your refrigerator overnight. It mixes up quickly and will be sticky. Once it is made, wrap it in plastic wrap, flatten it gently into a disc and refrigerate.

How to Roll Cookie Dough

Be sure to sprinkle some flour down on your pastry mat (affiliate link). The dough will still be slightly sticky after it chills and you’ll need that flour to keep the dough from sticking. Be sure not to add too much flour. If you do, your cookies will be drier and you want them to be soft and moist! A little bit of flour on the mat and a little bit more sprinkled on top is all you’ll need. If you find your dough sticking too much, you can always add a touch more flour.

Then use your favorite cutters to make shapes. Making cutout cookies always draws my kids to the kitchen. It did when they were little and 12 years later? Still the same. They love cutting out cookies and it’s one of our traditions to kick off the Christmas season.

Please note that this dough does “poof” and rise a bit while baking so the shapes will change just a bit. Think more rounded edges instead of sharper edges. You can see 3 leaf clover cutouts using this sugar cookie dough recipe here.

The Best Frosting for Soft Sugar Cookies

Because of the rounded and poofy shape of these cookies, they are not great for royal icing (such as these gender reveal cookies). The royal icing will tend to crack because of the cookie’s softness. But they do pair perfectly with buttercream frosting. You can make our simple vanilla buttercream and color it or use festive sprinkles for any occasion.

Instructions

Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside until step 5.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.

Add eggs, salt, vanilla and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Mix well.

Add 3 cups of flour and the baking powder. Blend until combined.

Add the buttermilk/baking soda mixture and the last 3 cups of flour. Mix until the flour is completely incorporated.

Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and gently press it into a disc. Be sure it is wrapped tightly and refrigerate the dough overnight.

When you're ready to roll out the dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle a pastry mat with flour. Divide the dough in half and roll out one-half of the dough, sprinkling flour on top of the dough as needed.

Cut out the dough in the shapes you'd like. Place the cookies on a nonstick baking mat.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes, removing them before they are browned.

Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling as needed.

Allow the cookies to cool, the frost them with buttercream frosting and sprinkles, if desired.

Store in an airtight container.

Notes

*I haven't had much success with freezing this cookie dough, but the cookies do freeze well after they are baked. Wrap the cookies tightly (preferably before frosting). When defrosting the cookies, allow them to come completely to room temperature before taking the cookies out of the packaging.

I’ve frozen these for a month or so. Just be sure you wrap them well, then when you take them out of the freezer, leave them in the packaging until they are completely at room temperature. This will help the moisture retain well. At room temperature they will last a few days.

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Tastes of Lizzy T is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any highlighted, clickable Amazon link you see is an affiliate link.